Fire-extinguishing apparatus.



L. B. CONANI. FFRE EXTINGUiSHiNGAPPARATUS. APPLICATAON FlLiD APR.'7, 1917! 1365 6142, lateuted Ma 7, 3918.

lawn

Z Qwrmy.

L. B. CQNANT- FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

- F APPLICATION FILED APR. 7- I91]v Lfififififlxin Patented lvfi'ly 1918.

' 2 SHEEYS 'SHEET 2- lemma-2mm rrnn srarns rarnnr @hhllfifdt LEON B. CON 'ANT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented '2, 191%,

Application filed April 7, 191?. Serial No. 169,406.

convenient means for introducing .fullers earth or the like into the water being thrown upon a burning structure. In doing this, I prefer to provide apparatus adapted to be actuated in connection with a hydrant of well known form.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side View of fire fighting apparatus made in accordance with my invention, a small section being represented as broken away. Fig. 2- is a sectional elevation of the same looking from the rear.

To adapt the apparatus to public fire fight ing, I prefer to show it as mounted upon a transportation means, as the autotruck shown in the drawings, in which the reference numeral 1 designates the chassis; 2, the

driving wheels, and 3, the front wheels.

Upon the chassis 1. is mounted a large tank or receiver 4:, having a" removable top or cover 5, and a conical bottom 6 opening through a sliding gate 7-into a small mixing chamber 9.

To one side of this mixing chamber 9 is connected an end of a pipe 10, to whose outer end is coupled an end ofa hose 11 for communicating with a hydrant 12; and from the same hydrant a'section of hose 13 is joined to a pipe 14 whose upper end is attached to the. top 5. i

Within the cylindrical receiver 4 is slidably located .a plunger 15, water-tight therein, and adapted to be forced downward toward the bottom of the receiver by the water entering above it through the hose-section 13 and pipe 14.

In this way, the Water passing through i the mixing chamber 9 from the pipe 10 to the pipe 16 and thence tothe hose 17 by which it is delivered to the burning structure, has intermixed therewith the earthy or other material descending from the recciver 4, the plunger 15 acting to insure such descent, botlgby the pressure upon the upper surface of said material and by taliiug'the place of the material as it recedes from the top 5.

In other Words, were no water pressure admitted to the upper part of the receiver 4, the earthy material within the same could only descend by virtue of its substitution either by air or water. Air cannot be admitted through a hole in the top 5, for then the water-pressure in the chamber 9 would force the material and itself out through such hole. Without such an inlet, the air and material in the receiver would act as a cush- I ion against the water-pressure in the chambar to prevent the entrance of water into the receiver, and also to hold the material from. descent into the mixing chamber.

But with the plunger or follower 1'5 steadily forced down upon the earthy material with a powerful. pressure, the descent of the material into the mixing chamber is rendered certain and regular; the pressure being regulated and the proportion of the intermixed material being changed to suit by a valve 1.9 in the pipe 1% (Fig. 1).

The gate 7 is shown as closed in Fig. Q, which is preferably the case until the apparatus has been transported to the confiagra- Otherwise, there is danger of the earthy material filling'the mixing chamber 9 and being acted upon by the moisture therein to become more orless solidified and to clog up the pipe 16.

When, however, the apparatus has been coupled up and the water turned on, then the gate is opened, as by the handwvhcel 20 acting upon the threaded rod 21 connected with the sliding gate 7,

For refilling the receiver 4, its top '5 is removed, and a couple of ropes or chains attached to the eyes 22 for the withdrawal of the plunger or follower 15. The earthy material can then be dumped or shovcled into the receiver; the follower returned, and the top 5 re-applied.

I prefer to have the receiver 4 made large; enough to hold several tons of the earthy material, and the material which I prefer to use.is what is known as fullers earth, al-;

though I do not restrict myself thereto, nor

'- as adapted with elements of any kind, whether liquid, gaseous, or solid matter in a pulverulent condition.

Fullers earth is preferableboth because of its cheapness and its eificiency as a resistant of combustion. .For instance, I find that combustible material wet down with pure water and thereby made to resist fire for a certain length of time, will, when wet with water intermixed with fullers earth,- resist fire for several times as long; often endurin unattacked forten times the period of the othert This is especiallythe case when the intermixed water is driven against the combustible object with considerable force, thereby injecting the earthy material into the pores and crevices thereof, as well as leaving a coating upon the remainder of the surfaces by which the oxygen of the air is kept from the same.

he reason why earthy material, and especially the fullers desir results is that in the extreme heat of a conflagration, the ure water cast uponexposed surfaces is dissipated almost immediately, leaving no permanent, or more than a moments, shield against combustion; but when the earth-bearing water strikes a heatreceiving surface and is instantly evaporated, its earthy content remains thereon as a permanent shield.

Although I have described the apparatus for extinguishing fires, I also design to use the same for other purposes, such. as coatin objects with cement. For such. purpose,t e contaianer 4 is filled with posed surfaces can be earth, accomplishes the eeann the dry, pulverized cement, and the water pressure is made only enough to force the water and the contained cement against the object to be coated. It is coming to be more and more recognized that wooden buildings containing more than a single tenant are a great menace to the lives of the public, and b h se should be in someway rendered fire-proof. With my apparatus, the outsides of wooden buildings, and, in fact, all exeasily and inexpenslvely rendered fire resisting, if not absolutely fire-proof- What I claimis:

A fire extinguisher comprising a portable container, a mixing chamber communicating with the bottom of the container, a sliding gate between the container and mixing chamber, means for opening and closing the gate, pipes projecting from and communieating with opposite sides of the mixing chamber, means for coupling hose to the outer ends of said pipes, a removable cover for the container, a pipe connected with said cover, a valve for the last-mentioned pipe, means for coupling a hose to the end of said pipe, whereby a hydrant can be connected with the pipe leading to the cover, and also to the mixing chamber, and a suit able discharge nozzle with the other side of the mixing chamber.

In testimony that I claim the foregoin invention, I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of April, 1917.

LEON n, eonan'r. 

